First, let's agree that one must be baptised in the Spirit to be in God's church:
for by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:13)
I would first like to hear an example of where you have spoken in tongues as described in Acts 1. Or where you heard someone speaking in tongues and understood it as clearly as if they were speaking English.
I Already quoted this same verse in this thread. However, I suspect we may have a differing view of what being "baptized in the Spirit," means.
What you are stating does not jive with Paul's correction of the church in Corinth.
"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines." Paul shows obvious distinctions that one spirit can manifest differently in differnt people.
Chapter 14
"I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, (understands) so that the church may be edified."
Obviously the church in Corinth had heard of what had happened at Pentecost and other places. And obviously there was some phony stuff going on. The address of this issue is because there was something bogus going on in Corinth. Paul is saying. I would like each of you to speak legitimately in tongues, but I'd rather you ........
"11If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a (W)barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me."
Clearly, this is Paul's clever attempt to discourage what is going on in Corinth. Do you want to appear a disciple, or a barbarian/savage?
What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also;v.15
The mind and spirit should be on the same page here. On the day of Pentecost, the disciples new what words were coming out of their mouths. It wasn't incoherent babbling.
Let me make it clear. I am not a cessationist. I want all that is available from God. Tongues, healings, etc. All to His glory. I do not want to thwart anything that is legitimately happening from God. But I do know that what I have scene from many Pentecostals regarding tongues is a bunch of babble. Why, considering Paul's warnings in 1 Cor, would a room full of English speaking people babble in some incoherent gibberish? This is exactly why Paul says,
"Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?"
27If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret;
28but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God.
Who is the interpreter? I think this is where many have erroneously gone astray. Is it not one who understands the language being spoken? In other words, if there is no one present who speaks the language/tongue you are speaking in, then you should be silent.
-“The Bible treated allegorically becomes putty in the hands of the exegete.” John Walvoord
"I'm not saying scientists don't overstate their results. They do. And it's understandable, too...If you spend years working toward a certain goal and make no progress, of course you are going to spin your results in a positive light." Ivellious
